Do You Want to Spend the Rest of Your Life Like This?

"No, I must be overthinking it..."

After this thought crossed his mind, the old man shook his head. He believed that if someone had discovered him hiding here, they would have come straight to him. Yet, after the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, there was still no disturbance at his place.

Meanwhile, the commotion in the city had gradually subsided as the Amethyst Winged Lion King flew away from the city. With that, the old man dismissed his concerns.

...

"Are you full?"

On the balcony of a restaurant, Gu Fei asked with a smile, looking at the Little Fairy Doctor across from him.

"Yes! I'm full!" 

The Little Fairy Doctor nodded with a smile, then took out a handkerchief to wipe the slight oil stains from the corner of her mouth. 

Their conversation was simple, yet it was this simplicity that indicated the progression of their relationship. The initial awkwardness between them was gone, replaced by a relaxed and easygoing atmosphere. It was the kind of interaction that brought comfort.

"Now, come with me to buy a map!"

Gu Fei stood up and left the restaurant with the Little Fairy Doctor.

They walked through several streets before arriving at a quaint shop. The shop was called "Ancient Maps," and unlike the more luxurious and ostentatious stores, it exuded a sense of old-world charm.

Gu Fei and the Little Fairy Doctor walked into the shop together. The interior wasn't very spacious, and the faint glow of two moonstones illuminated the place. The shop was rather quiet, with few people inside buying maps.

Gu Fei's gaze swept the room before landing on an old man behind the counter, meticulously working on a map. The old man was evidently quite old, with a head full of white hair, but his hand holding the black pen was still steady and strong.

"It seems this is Hai Bodong!"

Gu Fei smiled inwardly, but he didn't approach the counter directly. At that moment, Gu Fei had suppressed his aura, so even Hai Bodong, once a powerful Dou Emperor, couldn't sense Gu Fei's presence. Thus, their entrance went unnoticed.

Gu Fei then moved to an old wooden shelf in the corner of the shop. The shelf was clearly ancient, covered with decaying wood and full of holes. On it lay a pile of yellowed maps, some of which showed signs of damage, as if they were failed attempts at map-making.

This was exactly what Gu Fei had been looking for. He casually flipped through the yellowed maps, and a faint musty smell made him frown slightly. The next moment, a small, tattered map the size of a palm fell out from the stack of failed maps.

"It's here!"

Seeing the fallen map fragment, Gu Fei wasn't surprised—he had already anticipated this. The map fragment was a part of the inheritance of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint, which, when assembled, could be used to counter the rank three Heavenly Flame when it appeared.

"What's this? It looks like some kind of treasure map, but it's severely incomplete!" 

The Little Fairy Doctor glanced at the map in Gu Fei's hand, curious as to why he would pick up something like that.

"Heh, this is a valuable item!" Gu Fei smiled but didn't explain further. Instead, he took the map fragment to the counter and asked the old man, "Sir, do you happen to have any other fragments of this map?"

Gu Fei knew that Hai Bodong had another fragment of this map. After acquiring it years ago and failing to decipher it, he had split his piece into two parts. 

As Gu Fei finished speaking, the old man behind the counter finally paused in his map-making and looked up sharply. His eyes held a hint of fierceness, and a scar ran from his left cheek to the corner of his eye, giving him a menacing appearance that made the Little Fairy Doctor instinctively cling to Gu Fei's clothes.

"Don't be afraid," Gu Fei noticed her reaction and gently patted her head.

"You've seen this map fragment before?" The old man asked in surprise.

Hai Bodong feels surprised. Emotion Value +80

"Yes, I've seen it before. Would you consider selling this map to me?" Gu Fei nodded with a smile.

"No," the old man shook his head firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Sir, if you're willing to sell it, you can name your price," Gu Fei persisted, undeterred by Hai Bodong's refusal. He was determined to obtain the map fragment.

"Young man, stop coveting this map fragment. I'm not interested in money, and don't even think about stealing it. That wouldn't end well for you," the old man waved him off dismissively, seemingly unafraid that Gu Fei might try to take the map by force.

"Brother Gu Fei, since the gentleman is adamant about not selling it, let's just leave," the Little Fairy Doctor said innocently. She didn't want Gu Fei to get into a conflict with the old man and didn't believe Gu Fei would resort to force.

"Don't worry, he'll change his mind..." Gu Fei smiled at her, then turned back to the old man. "Isn't that right, former Dou Emperor?"

"Who are you?" 

As Gu Fei's words echoed, the old man's eyes flashed with a dangerous light, and a powerful aura spread through the room.

Hai Bodong feels shock and suspicion. Emotion Value +80

"What's going on?

This sudden change startled the Little Fairy Doctor, but knowing Gu Fei's strength, she wasn't overly alarmed. Meanwhile, Gu Fei released a warm aura to protect her from the old man's chilling energy.

"Young man, it seems you're not without your own abilities," the old man remarked, surprised that Gu Fei remained unaffected by his aura.

"So, what's your decision, sir?" Gu Fei asked, unfazed, with a slight smile.

"I've already said, I won't sell it to anyone. If you try to take it by force, don't blame me for using my power against you..." The old man's tone was calm but resolute as cold Dou Qi surrounded him.

At this moment, the Little Fairy Doctor stood quietly aside, not interfering.

"What if I said I could lift the seal on your body? Would you consider that? Or do you intend to spend the rest of your life in this remote border town as a mere map seller?"